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Topic Review (Newest First)

01-19-2013 03:25 AM

markstr

There are really so many factors that go into this. Location is also a biggie...
Depending on how tall the tank is, and how close the Halide is etc etc. will all factor into this.... Amano uses these on all of his tanks for yrs... Really depends on what your tastes are/ budget etc. Pressurized CO2 yes as a givin..

03-10-2012 04:08 PM

BlueJack

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazkeirle

I use both, what people are omitting to mention though is that MH has a much nicer light to it. It is more natural and gives the cool ripples.

+1...no other light source can match that glistening effect. Just have to deal with the heat. Or go LED!!!

Before I went with MH I had seen similar information but no idea where, it has been a decade.

There are a few smaller tanks journaled here with MH, very beautiful but operating on a razor's edge. Not something for a first timer to try. Go T5, your electric bill will be smaller and you can have the lights on for longer!

03-10-2012 12:34 PM

dazkeirle

I use both, what people are omitting to mention though is that MH has a much nicer light to it. It is more natural and gives the cool ripples.

It is a bit of an algae magnet though, be warned.

03-10-2012 06:49 AM

samamorgan

Way to necro a thread. That's interesting if true, but it's the only information i've read that shows figures like that. I cant give source links to refute it, because this was talked about months ago and i'm not interested in running around looking for more information.

03-10-2012 02:38 AM

jreich

150w of MH over a 36 bow is way to much light even if your using press. co2. you really dont need a ton of light to grow plants, whats more important is ferts and co2. not many people use MH on a FW tank for good reason... its total overkill. the less ligh you have the more managable your aquarium will be, the more light u add makes the balancing act with co2 and ferts a razors edge.
150w MH would be good to grow coral, but not FW plants.
for a 36 bow i would go with 1 T5HO dual bulb fixture. with that you should be able to grow just about anything.

Yeah, most of the energy that is not converted into light is converted into heat instead, so for that metal halide, 75% of the energy used is converted into radiation. This leads to more expensive cooling bills as well. Yet another thing to factor

Imagine a 150w incandescent

All of the energy, whether or not it is converted to light, will end up as heat. Flourescents and halides watt for watt will put out the same heat.

01-22-2012 09:32 AM

samamorgan

Quote:

Originally Posted by TedP

Heat!

When the main lamp kicks on for my 30g it heats the room up uncomfortably. It doesn't really affect the water temp that badly but it's my office and I spend a lot of time there. For that, it's too much as well.

Yeah, most of the energy that is not converted into light is converted into heat instead, so for that metal halide, 75% of the energy used is converted into radiation. This leads to more expensive cooling bills as well. Yet another thing to factor

Imagine a 150w incandescent

01-22-2012 08:30 AM

TedP

Heat!

When the main lamp kicks on for my 30g it heats the room up uncomfortably. It doesn't really affect the water temp that badly but it's my office and I spend a lot of time there. For that, it's too much as well.